Jan 17 - Exodus 16-18
Exodus
1And they set out from Elim. And the entire multitude of the sons of Israel arrived at the desert of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month, after they departed from the land of Egypt2And the entire congregation of the sons of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness3And the sons of Israel said to them: "If only we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat around bowls of meat and ate bread until filled. Why have you led us away, into this desert, so that you might kill the entire multitude with famine?4Then the Lord said to Moses: "Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Let the people go out and collect what is sufficient for each day, so that I may test them, as to whether or not they will walk in my law5But on the sixth day, let them prepare what they use for carrying, and let there be double what they were accustomed to collect on a single day.6And Moses and Aaron said to the sons of Israel: "In the evening, you will know that the Lord has led you away from the land of Egypt7And in the morning, you will see the glory of the Lord. For he has heard your murmuring against the Lord. But as for us, truly what are we, that you would whisper against us?8And Moses said: "In the evening, the Lord will give you flesh to eat, and in the morning, bread in fullness. For he has heard your murmurings that you have murmured against him. For what are we? Your murmuring is not against us, but against the Lord.9Moses also said to Aaron: "Say to the whole congregation of the sons of Israel, ‘Approach before the Lord. For he has heard your murmuring.’ 10And when Aaron spoke to the entire assembly of the sons of Israel, they looked out toward the wilderness. And behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in a cloud11Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying12"I have heard the murmuring of the sons of Israel. Say to them: ‘In the evening, you will eat flesh, and in the morning, you will be filled with bread. And you shall know that I am the Lord your God.’ 13Therefore, it happened in the evening: quails, rising up, covered the camp. Likewise, in the morning, a dew lay all around the camp14And when it had covered the face of the earth, it appeared, in the wilderness, small and as if crushed with a pestle, similar to hoar-frost on the ground15When the sons of Israel had seen it, they said one to another: "Manhu?" which means "What is this?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them: "This is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat16This is the word that the Lord has instructed. Let each one collect as much of it as is sufficient to eat. One omer for each head. According to the number of your souls which live in a tent, so will you take of it.17And the sons of Israel did so. And they collected: some more, others less18And they measured by the measure of an omer. He who collected more, did not have too much; nor did he who prepared less, find too little. But each one gathered according to what they were able to eat19And Moses said to them, "Let no one leave any of it behind until morning.20And they did not listen to him, but they left some of it behind until morning, and it began to swarm with worms, and it putrefied. And Moses became angry against them21Then each one collected, in the morning, as much as would be sufficient to eat. And after the sun became hot, it melted22But on the sixth day, they collected a double portion, that is, two omers for each man. Then all the leaders among the multitude came, and they discoursed with Moses23And he said to them: "This is what the Lord has spoken: Tomorrow, the rest day of the Sabbath, has been sanctified to the Lord. Whatever would be done, do it now. And whatever would be cooked, cook it now. Then anything that will have been left over, store it until morning.24And they did just as Moses had instructed, and it did not putrefy, nor were there any worms found in it25And Moses said: "Eat it today, because it is the Sabbath of the Lord. Today it will not be found in the field26Gather for six days. But on the seventh day, it is the Sabbath of the Lord, for which reason it will not be found.27And the seventh day arrived. And some of the people, going out to collect it, did not find it28Then the Lord said to Moses: "How long will you be unwilling to keep my commandments and my law29See how the Lord has given you the Sabbath, and, because of this, on the sixth day he distributes to you a double portion. Let each one remain with his own, and let no one go forth from his place on the seventh day.30And the people kept the Sabbath on the seventh day31And the house of Israel called its name ‘Manna.’ It was like white coriander seed, and its taste was like wheat flour with honey32Then Moses said: "This is the word that the Lord has instructed: Fill an omer of it, and let it be kept for future generations hereafter, so that they may know the bread, with which I nourished you in the wilderness, when you had been led away from the land of Egypt.33And Moses said to Aaron, "Take one vessel, and put manna into it, as much as an omer is able to hold. And store it in the sight of the Lord, to keep for your generations34just as the Lord instructed Moses." And so, Aaron placed it in the tabernacle, in reserve35Now the sons of Israel ate manna for forty years, until they arrived in a habitable land. With this food they were nourished, even until they touched the borders of the land of Canaan36Now an omer is a tenth part of an ephah
1And so, the entire multitude of the sons of Israel, having set out from the desert of Sin in stages, according to the word of the Lord, made camp at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink2And arguing against Moses, they said, "Give us water, so that we may drink." And Moses answered them: "Why argue against me? For what reason do you tempt the Lord?3And so the people were thirsty in that place, due to the scarcity of water, and they murmured against Moses, saying: "Why did you cause us to go out of Egypt, so as to kill us and our children, as well as our cattle, with thirst?4Then Moses cried out to the Lord, saying: "What shall I do with this people? A little while more and they will stone me.5And the Lord said to Moses: "Go before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. And take in your hand the staff, with which you struck the river, and advance6Lo, I will stand in that place before you, on the rock of Horeb. And you shall strike the rock, and water will go forth from it, so that the people may drink." Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel7And he called the name of that place ‘Temptation,’ because of the arguing of the sons of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying: "Is the Lord with us, or not?8And Amalek came and fought against Israel at Rephidim9And Moses said to Joshua: "Choose men. And when you go out, fight against Amalek. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.10Joshua did as Moses had spoken, and he fought against Amalek. But Moses and Aaron and Hur ascended to the top of the hill11And when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed. But when he released them a little while, Amalek overcame12Then the hands of Moses became heavy. And so, taking a stone, they placed it beneath him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur sustained his hands from both sides. And it happened that his hands did not tire until the setting of the sun13And Joshua put to flight Amalek and his people by the edge of the sword14Then the Lord said to Moses: "Write this, as a memorial in a book, and deliver it to the ears of Joshua. For I will wipe away the memory of Amalek from under heaven.15And Moses built an altar. And he called its name, ‘The Lord, my Exaltation.’ For he said16"The hand of the throne of the Lord, and the war of the Lord, will be against Amalek from generation to generation.
1And when Jethro, the priest of Midian, the kinsman of Moses, had heard all that God had done for Moses, and for his people Israel, and that the Lord had led Israel away from Egypt2he brought Zipporah, the wife of Moses, whom he was to return to him3and her two sons, of whom one was called Gershom, (for his father said, "I have been a newcomer in a foreign land,"4and the other in truth was Eliezer, ("For the God of my father," he said, "is my helper, and has rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh."5And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, with his sons and his wife, came to Moses in the desert, where he was encamped next to the mountain of God6And he sent word to Moses, saying: "I, Jethro, your kinsman, have come to you, with your wife, and your two sons with her.7And going out to meet his kinsman, he reverenced and kissed him. And they saluted each other with peaceful words. And when he had arrived at the tent8Moses explained to his kinsman all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians on behalf of Israel, and all the hardships which had befallen them on the journey, and how the Lord had freed them9And Jethro was gladdened over all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, because he had rescued them from the hand of the Egyptians10And he said: "Blessed is the Lord, who has freed his people from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of Pharaoh; he has rescued his people from the hand of Egypt11Now I know that the great Lord is above all gods. This is why they acted arrogantly against them.12And so Jethro, the kinsman of Moses, offered holocausts and sacrifices to God. And Aaron arrived with all the elders of Israel, in order to eat bread with him in the sight of God13Then, the next day, Moses sat down in order to judge the people, and they stood beside Moses from morning, even until evening14And when, of course, his kinsman saw all that he did among the people, he said: "What is this that you do among the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand before you, from morning, even until evening?15And Moses answered him: "The people come to me seeking the verdict of God16And when any kind of dispute occurs among them, they come to me to judge between them, and to reveal the precepts of God and of his laws.17But he said, "This is not good, what you are doing18You will be consumed by foolish efforts, both you and this people who are with you. The task is beyond your strength; you will not be able bear it alone19But listen to my words and counsels, and then God will be with you. Be available to the people in that which pertains to God, so as to refer what they say to him20and to reveal to the people the ceremonies, and the rituals of worship, and the way by which they should progress, and the work that they should do21Then provide, from all of the people, men capable and fearing God, in whom there is truth and who hate avarice, and appoint from them tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens22who may judge the people at all times. Then, when anything greater will have occurred, they may refer it to you, and let them judge the lesser matters only. And so it may be lighter for you, the burden being divided among others23If you will do this, you will fulfill the orders of God, and you will be able to uphold his precepts. And this entire people will return to their places in peace.24Having heard this, Moses did everything that he had suggested to him25And choosing virtuous men from all of Israel, he appointed them as leaders of the people: tribunes, and leaders of hundreds, and of fifties, and of tens26And they judged the people at all times. But whatever was more serious, they referred to him, and they judged easier matters only27And he dismissed his kinsman, who, turning back, went to his own land